Row after Patten plugs own firm

LORD PATTEN has become embroiled in fresh controversy with the disclosure that he asked an unsuccessful candidate for BBC director-general to use his headhunting company to find herself a new job.

The chairman of the BBC Trust shocked Caroline Thomson, the most senior woman at the corporation, when he offered to put her in touch with Russell Reynolds Associates, a recruitment firm where he serves as a non-executive director.

Thomson was so surprised by Patten’s suggestion that she told friends about it after the meeting. This weekend Patten admitted he mentioned his firm to her at an official meeting but insisted that his actions were appropriate and did not constitute a conflict of interest.

His admission that he took the first steps to set in train Thomson’s departure is significant. Last week Patten said in an interview with the Radio 4 Today programme that Thomson got a “huge amount of money”